Your dental health should be one of your top priorities. It's important to work to maintain the health of your teeth on a routine basis. However, studies indicate that up to 15% of people that live in the United States experience dental phobias. This is an extreme fear of going to the dentist and could contribute to bad oral health. If you've put off getting a cavity fixed, you may need to have a root canal. It's ideal to know specific things about this complex dental procedure beforehand.

The Reason

If your dentist has indicated that you need root canal treatment, this is to help you save the tooth. It's possible for a tooth to become severely decayed over time and this could damage the nerve.  Another reason a root canal may be necessary is because of trauma to a tooth, such as being involved in an accident.

Additionally, if you have a crack in a tooth that is not repaired, this could lead to the nerve being damaged.

The Process

Root canals are typically dreaded because of the complexity of the procedure. However, you can talk to your endodontic specialist about taking medication beforehand or being sedated.

Listed below is the process of this dental procedure:

1.    Your tooth will be examined, and there may be x-rays taken. It's likely the dentist who recommended you to this specialist took x-rays and you only need to request a copy of these to be delivered.

2.    There will be a piece of rubber, also called a dam, that will be placed over your mouth to prevent saliva from getting in the way.

3.    There will be a hole that is drilled in the tooth, and this will allow for the necessary tooth to be accessed.

4.     The pulp and the damaged nerve will be removed from the tooth.

5.     The tooth will then be cleaned out and sealed for the appropriate restoration

6.    You may later return to your dentist to have a dental crown put in place or a bridge.

The Costs

The expense of the root canal treatment will be based on the location of the tooth that needs it. The further back the damaged tooth, the more you can expect to pay.

The average cost of doing a root canal on a back tooth is $500-$2,000, but this amount will vary.

Getting a root canal can save a tooth that may have required extraction otherwise. Be sure to speak to your endodontist or visit this website http://www.jpdentalgroup.com to learn more about root canals. 

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